Coil shaping and mashing machine



Sept. 30, 1958 5. WILSON 2,854,033

COIL SHAPING AND MASHING MACHINE Filed 001;. 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTQR. 720/7745 5 m/so/fl A TTORNEK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR. 720/7745 f, M750 A TTOPN Sept. 30, 1958 T. E. WILSON COIL SHAPING AND MASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1954 Sept. 30, 1958 T, E, mob, 2,854,033

COIL SHAPING AND MASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 COIL SHAPING AND MASHING MACHINE Thomas E. Wilson, Oklahoma City, Okla., assignor to Kool Kooshion Manufacturing Co., Oklahoma City, Okla., a corporation of Oklahoma Application October 11, 1954, Serial No. 461,531

10 Claims. (Cl. 140-71) This invention relates to a machine for use in the manufacture of cushions and other devices wherein is included a coil arranged in a spiral and surrounded by a peripheral edging or reinforcement of bendable material such as a wire band.

It is the primary object of the instant invention to provide a machine for not only mashing the aforesaid coils to increase the comfort of the cushion ultimately produced therefrom but to form or bend the peripheral member into a desired configuration.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a machine as above set forth having relatively movable parts for compressing the said coil whereby to mash the same, one of the parts that engages the coil during the pressure step being itself movable relative to the coil and in response to the pressure being applied thereto for increasing the efficiency of the mashing operation. Another object of this invention is to provide a machine having formers in the nature of angle pins engageable with the bendable peripheral wire of the coil assembly so as to change the configuration thereof from a substantially circular shape to a polygonal form, all automatically as the said relatively movable parts are actuated.

Other objects will be made clear or become apparent as the following specification progresses reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a coil-shaping and mashing machine made according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on irregular line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line IIIIII of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a coil assembly to be shaped and mashed through use of the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the coil assembly shown in Fig. 4 after the same has been subjected to the action of the said machine.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, crosssectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional vie taken on line VIIVII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the mechanism for holding the coils in place and releasing the same automatically to the crusher.

The component parts of the machine about to be described may all be conveniently supported on a suitable framework broadly designated by the numeral 10, and which rigidly mounts an elongated, longitudinally inclined support 12 adapted to receive a coil assembly 14 (Fig. 4) as the latter is subjected to the action of the machine. I

The support 12 is embraced by a pair of spaced, rear- United States Patent 0 nated by the numeral 20, movable toward and away from the support 12. The rods 16 and 18 are reciprocated through use of an electric motor or other prime mover 22 coupled by belt and pulley means 24 with a driven shaft 26 common to a pair of speed reducer units 28 and 30 for rods 16 and 18 respectively. Each of the rods 16 and ,18 is pivotally coupled at its lowermost end with a rotatable crank 32 operated from the speed reducers 28 and 30.

The upper ends of the rods 16 and 18 are pivotally connected with an elongated, uppermost inclined plate 34 forming a part of the structure 20 through the medium of cross shafts 36 and 38 rigid to the upper face of the plate 34.

Plate 34 is reciprocable along a plurality of rods 40 through the medium of tubular bearings 42 slidable along the rods 40 and rigid to the uppermost face of the plate 34. Rods 40 are rigid to, and extend upwardly from, an intermediate, elongated inclined plate 44 provided with an upwardly flared lip 46 along its uppermost end. Rods 40 are stabilized and the extent of upward movement of the plate 34 is limited by a frame 48 interconnecting the rods 40 at their uppermost ends.

Plate 44 has a plurality of bearings 50 rigidly secured to the uppermost face thereof adjacent each rod 40 respectively and slidable on rods 52, the latter being rigid to the uppermost face of the support 12 and extending upwardly through the plate 44. A pin 54 extending loosely through an ear 56 on the support 12, connects with each bearing 50 respectively and a spring 58 is coiled about each pin 54 respectively, between ears 56 and bearings 50. It is seen that the springs 58 yieldably bias the plate 44 upwardly away from the support 12 in the normal position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, limited only by heads 60 on the rods 52. Openings 62 in the plate 34 clear the bearings 50 when the plate 34 is moved downwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8.

Support 12 carries rotatable shaft 63 having arms 64 rigid thereto that in turn have pins 65 pivotally secured thereto, pins 65 extending upwardly through support 12. Bar 66, in the path of travel of pin 67 is rigid to plate 44. Bar 66 is rigid to shaft 63 and has a slot 68 receiving lever 69 swingably on plate 34. A shoulder 70 on lever 69 normally engages bar 66. Swinging movement of bar 66 in one direction is limited by stop 71 on support 12.

Toggle mechanism 72 includes link 73 pivotally secured to support 12 by bracket 74, rod 75 pivotally connected to link 73 and slidable in collar 76 rigid to shaft 63, and spring 78 coiled about rod 75.

A pair of spaced-apart pins 80 depending from the plate 34, extend through the plate 44 and are adapted to extend through the support 12 by virtueof openings 82 in the latter.

A disc 84, preferably circular to conform to the configuration of device 14, is partially embraced by the pins most reciprocable rods 16 and a pair of forwardmost reciprocable rods 18 that support structure broadly desig- 80 and is disposed between the plate 44 and the support 12. Disc 84 has a roughened, lowermost surface as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, and an upstanding stud 86 reciprocable and rotatable within a hub 88 mounted on the plate 44,

the plate 34 having an opening 90 for clearing the hub 88.

A spring 92 coiled about the stud 86 between the plate 44 and the disc 84, yieldably holds the latter biased away from the lower face of the plate 44 limited by a set collar 94 on the stud 86 above the hub 88. A continuous spiral groove 96 in the stud 86 receives opposed pins 98 carried by hub 88. The extent of clockwise rotation of the disc 84, viewing Fig. 3, is limited by an outwardlyextending, radial lug 100 contacting a stop 102 rigid to the support 12 and extending upwardly therefrom.

A pair of spaced-apart pins 104 rigid to the support 12 near the lowermost end thereof, extend upwardly through the plates 34 and 44 for free sliding movement of i said plates with respect to the pins 104.

The plate 34 carries a plurality of formers in the nature of angle pins depending from the plate 34 and arranged in the plate 34 in the polygonal pattern shown by Fig. 2 of the drawings. As clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 8, 'the formers are all provided with straight, uppermost ends perpendicular to the lowermost face of the plate 34 and angled, lowermost ends. Inasmuch as it is desired'to change the peripheral configuration of the circular coil assembly 14 to the shape shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings having corners 106 and sides 103, there are provided a plurality of corner pins or formers 110 and a number of side pins or formers 112.

A pair of pins 110 are provided at each corner respectively, and each of the pinslli) has the lowermost end 110a thereof angled inwardly, whereas each of the plurality of pins 112 has the lowermost end 112a thereof angled outwardly as best seen in Fig. 8. The support 12 is provided with an elongated slot 114 for clearing each of the pins 110 and 112 as the same are moved to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8 and plate 44 is likewise provided with clearance slots 116 for the pins 110 and 112.

As above indicated, the device 14 includes a coil 14a of wire or other bendable material, arranged in a spiral and held in such spiral formation by wire 14!), threaded through the convolutions of the coil 14a. The single relatively heavy, continuous circular wire 14c forms the periphery of the assembly 14 and is threaded through the outermost row of the coil 14a. Such a coil assembly 14 is utilized in producing a cushion of the kind normally utilized, particularly in automobiles and by virtue of the coil 14a thereof, such cushion is not only comfortable, but cool. It isnecessary however, to mash the coil 14a for purposes of comfort and, therefore, in use of the machine above-described, the circular assembly 14 is first placed'upon the support 12 at the uppermost end thereof and permitted to slide downwardly to a position disposed beneath the disc orpressure element 84.

The continuously operating motor 22 driving the four rods 16 .and 18, moves the plate 34 of structure 20 down wardly toward the support 12, thereby shifting the pins or retainermeans 80 through the support 12 to a position where the assembly 14 is temporarily retained beneath the disc 84.

As the plate 34 moves against the plate 44, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, the latter is likewise pulled toward the support 12 by rods 16 and 18 against the action of springs 58 until the disc 84 moves into engagement with the coils 14a as seen in Fig. 6. Continued downward pressure against the action of spring 92, causes the disc 84 to move toward the plate 44 and rotate Within hub 88 on the axis of stud 86 which is perpendicular to the plate 44. Such rotation is caused by the action of groove 96 and pins 918. It can be seen, therefore, that the coils 14a are mashed by the pressure of disc 84 and by rotative action of the latter .upon the coils 14a.

Simultaneously, with the upward movement of the plate 34, pins or holding means 65 are extended upwardly beyond the upper surface of support 12. Successive assemblies 14 may be fed by hand or automatically to the pins 65, whereby, upon movement of the plates 34 and 44 to the position shown in Fig. 6, pins 65 are retracted and the device 14 held thereby slides by gravity along the support 12 to a position engaging the flared flange 46.

As the pins 80 are retracted to the position shown in Fig. 1, the mashed device 14 is released and continues to slide downwardly along the support 12 until stopped by the two pins 104. Pins 104 are 50 disposed as to align the device 14 properly with respect to the formers 110 and 112 so that when the plate 34 is shifted downwardly along the rods 40, the peripheral wire 140 will be shaped into the configuration illustrated by Fig. 5 of the draw 65 to the position shown ings. All of the outwardly inclined, lowermost ends 112a of the pins 112 will move against the heavy peripheral wire 14c exteriorly thereof, while the inwardly inclined, lowermost ends a of the corner pins or formers 110, will simultaneously engage the peripheral wire 14:: internally thereof.

As pins 110 and 112 move through the slots 116 and as the plate 34 is pulled downwardly by rods 16 and 18 and engage the peripheral band interiorly and exteriorly thereof, the outwardly inclined ends 112a will progressively bend the wire 14c inwardly to form the four sides 108 and at the same time, the inclined ends 112a will engage the wire 14c therewithin, bending the latter outwardly to form the four corners 106.

By the time the inclined ends 110 and 112 have moved entirely through the slots 114 of support 12, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8, the peripheral wire 14c will be in engagement with the uppermost straight ends of the formers 110 and 112 arranged in the pattern shown by Fig. 2 and conforming substantially with the peripheral configuration of the assembly 14 when reformed to the shape shown by Fig. 5. When the plates 34 and 44 return to the position shown by Fig. 1, the finished assembly 14 has a polygonal configuration such as to slide freely from the support 12 between the spaced-apart pins 104.

It is now apparent that during continuous operation of the machine, one of the assemblies 14 is being compressed or mashed between the support 12 and the pressure element 84 while another is being formed to the configuration shown by Fig. 5 by the plurality of pins 110 and 112.

It is to be understood further, that while the two assemblies 14 are thus being acted upon, a succeeding device is placed upon the upwardly projecting pins 65 for automatic feeding by gravitational movement to a position beneath the disc 84.

As soon as plate 34 commences to descend, the lever '69, acting on bar 66, rotates shaft 63 to swing arms 64 and retract pins 65. Spring-loaded toggle mechanism 72 snaps upwardly past center to hold the pins 65 retracted and shoulder 70 slips oif bar 66 to continue downward movement through slot 68. The extent of downward swinging of bar 66 and arms 64 is limited by bar 66 striking stop 71.

After plate 34 contacts plate 44 to lower the latter, pin 67 strikes bar 66 and swings arms 64 to return pins in Fig. 1. Toggle mechanism 72 snaps back to the position shown in Fig. 9 to hold the pins 65 in the position for receiving the device 14 and when the lever 69 is again fully raised, its swings back to the normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 9 with shoulder 70 overlying bar 66 adjacent slot 68.

The most difiicult problem of mashing bendable coils of cushions and other devices, together with the harassing problem of changing the shape thereof from a circular configuration to a polygonal form, have been met through use of the machine above described, and while details of construction may be varied, it is desired to be limited only by the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. For a device having a coil of bendable material surrounded by a continuous peripheral member of bendable material, a machine for mashing the coil and modifying the shape of said member including a support for the device; control structure; means mounting said structure for movement toward and away from the support; a pressure element between the support and said structure; means mounting said element on the structure for movement 7 with respect thereto; mechanism operably coupled with the structure for actuating said structure to move said element into engagement with the device on the support to compress the device against the support; means interconnecting the element and the structure for moving the pressure element with respect to the support and the device as the latter is being compressed, said support being inclined for gravitational movement of the device therealong upon release of pressure on the device; stop means within the path of the travel of the device for limiting the extent of gravitational movement of the device; and a plurality of inside and outside formers carried by the structure and disposed for engagement with said member interiorly and exteriorly thereof respectively, when the device is against the stop means and the structure is again moved toward the support, the outside formers being disposed to surround the member and the inside formers being disposed to be surrounded by the member.

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said structure includes a first plate above the support and a second plate above the first plate, said pressure element being mounted on the first plate, said formers being mounted on the second plate.

3. In a machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first plate is reciprocably carried by the support and the second plate is reciprocably carried by the first plate.

4. In a machine as set forth in claim 3 wherein said mechanism includes a plurality of reciprocable rods coupled with said second plate.

5. A machine for mashing a device constructed of a coiled spring comprising a support adapted for receiving the device; structure shiftable rectilinearly toward and away from the support; a pressure element provided with an elongated stud extending laterally from one face thereof; a hub on the face of said structure in opposed relationship to the structure, said hub having a central bore rotatably and reciprocably receiving said stud and provided with a pin extending inwardly into said bore, said stud having a longitudinally extending spiral groove in the outer surface thereof slidably receiving said pin whereby upon movement of the structure toward the support the element engages and compresses the device against the support thereby causing the element to be re- .ciprocated toward the support and the element to be rotated about the axis of the stud; and means operably coupled with said structure for shifting the latter toward and away from the support.

6. A machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein there is provided resilient means between the structure and said element and disposed in surrounding relationship to said stud for biasing the element away from said structure.

7. In a machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said support is inclined and there is provided retainer means disposed to hold the device on the support within the path of travel of said element, said retainer means having components for retracting the same upon movement of the element away from the device to release the latter for gravitational movement along the support after mashing of the coil thereof.

8. In a machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein is provided a releasable holder disposed to maintain successive devices on the support to be fed to the retainer means, said holder having means for releasing the same as the retainer means is retracted for gravitational movement of a succeeding device along the support to a position between the pressure element and the support.

9. A machine for modifying the peripheral configuration of a device having a continuous peripheral member of bendable material comprising a support adapted for receiving the device; structure shiftable rectilinearly toward and away from the support; and a plurality of inclined, inside and outside formers carried by the structure and disposed for engagement with said member interiorly and exteriorly thereof respectively when the device is on the support and the structure is moved toward the support, said inside formers being disposed at the corners of an imaginary quadrilateral parallel with said structure, the angle of inclination of said outside formers being toward the center of the device and the angle of inclination of the inside formers being away from the center of the device whereby upon movement of the structure toward the support, said inside and outside formers push adjacent areas of said bendable member outwardly and inwardly respectively to modify the configuration of said device.

10. A machine for modifying the peripheral configuration of a device having a continuous peripheral member of bendable material comprising a support adapted for receiving the device; structure shiftable rectilinearly toward andv away from the support; and a continuous, polygonal series of pins mounted on the structure and depending therefrom, said series including a number of substantially straight rows of side pins, the lowermost ends of said side pins being disposed to engage said bendable member exteriorly thereof and the lower portion of each of the side pins being inclined toward the center of said polygonal series and a number of corner pins disposed at the corners of an imaginary quadrilateral parallel with said structure, the lowermost ends of said corner pins being disposed to engage said bendable member interiorly thereof and the lower portion of each of the corner members being inclined away from the center of said polygonal series whereby upon movement of the structure toward the support, said side and corner pins push adja cent areas of said bendable member outwardly and inwardly respectively to modify the configuration of said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 789,623 McGrath May 9, 1905 956,317 Edison Apr. 26, 1910 1,100,333 Steelman June 16, 1914 1,153,480 Beugler Sept. 14, 1915 1,968,595 Beck July 31, 1934 2,234,098 Wells Mar. 4, 1941 2,405,725 York Aug. 13, 1946 2,436,642 Greenwood Feb. 24, 1948 2,456,506 Henchert Dec. 14, 1948 2,607,372 White Aug. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,510 Great Britain Aug. 20, 1908 

